Council Bluffs, Iowa - Six students in the Iowa Western Community College Construction Technology Program have earned coveted scholarships for their handiwork in and out of the classroom. Students received $1,000 awards at the 2013-14 Home Builders Scholarship Ceremony held Wednesday at the college. The scholarships were presented by Joe Kueper, president of NeighborWorks Home Solutions, a nationwide infill/affordable home building organization that provides housing opportunities for citizens in blighted neighborhoods.

Kueper said NeighborWorks Home Solutions secures vacant lots with less than desirable homes with a goal of revitalizing the area with energy efficient and affordable housing options. NeighborWorks provides $20,000 to $30,000 move-in assistance for those applicants who qualify. They also partner with the Council Bluffs Community Development Department in the infill/affordable housing program. NeighborWorks provides the Construction Technology Department at Iowa Western with funding to build two residential homes as a service learning projects, which allows students to apply all the building science they receive in the classrooms in a real-life application. In addition, the department is awarded $6,000 annually for scholarships.

Earning scholarship honors this year were:

Ryan Britten, Bellevue, Neb.
Britten is graduating May 2014 and will attend the University of Nebraska at Omaha to study Construction Management.

Zach Kahle, Mound City, Mo.
Kahle is graduating May 2014 and will attend Northwest Missouri State to study Business Management.